Area citizens react to loss of Ronald Reagan

Mary Lewis said she never missed a Ronald Reagan movie. The 77-year-old Texico resident praised the former president.

“I just loved him, he was just so handsome and such a good actor,” she said. “He was a wonderful president and a loving husband.”

Reagan, the nation’s 40th president, died Saturday at age 93 after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Clovis historian Don McAlavy said a woman reported seeing Reagan in 1957 reading the newspaper in the lobby of the Clovis Hotel. He reportedly had an hour layover between train trips and passed time in the historic hotel.

“I think history will look upon Reagan as the man who brought down the Iron Curtain,” said Naggs, chairman for the Curry County Bush/Cheney re-election campaign. “He will be looked upon as one of our greatest presidents.”

Johnson, the Curry County Republican Party chairman, remembers when Reagan ran for re-election in 1984 against Walter Mondale. Reagan was asked if his age would play a factor in his being elected and comically answered:

“I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I’m not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”